


I've Been Here Before

by PennyForTheGuy



Category: Borderlands
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 08:56:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4781405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PennyForTheGuy/pseuds/PennyForTheGuy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack dug himself a deep hole this time, and truly there's no getting out. Funny thing is a lot of people dig this hole with smiles on their faces, plan the digging all their lives, look forward to it from the day they first see the damn shovel. Handsome Jack cannot comprehend why even though he did it once before himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've Been Here Before

**Author's Note:**

> My uncle got married to his long, long time partner just the other day, and I myself am getting married later this month. So in a fit of wedding fever I've written this. Enjoy.

Why did this have to be such a big damn deal? It was the same with his first wedding, no one would just let it slide. Same shit different person and oh why did there have to be so much family this time. At least his wife had either dead relatives or hated never-talking-to-that-sack-of-shit-no-matter-what relatives. 

Like him. 

But no, Rhys had barrels full of happy and proud family members and friends and even former classmates running to his side like kittens to a pocket full of catnip. And touchy motherfuckers too. Wanting to get all up in his business with handshakes and hugs and pats on the face and back and more than a couple sly ass pats from one of Rhys' aunts. 

Jack was trying, he really was but his was two inches from explosion right now. This should have been small, quiet, really just any other day aside from a trip to the courthouse. Marriage should be between the two people getting married, it was that damn simple.

It was their lives, their promise to each other. No one else needed, no one else welcome. Why did society have to hang on to this frankly medieval principle? Marriages weren't alliances any more, they weren't property exchange, you weren’t signing over your goddamn life and liberty. There was no logical reason for this to be a big event.

And yet here he was pacing manically in a deep midnight blue three piece tux trying to calm his rage when his original goal had been to stave off the panic attack he’d felt rising. Deciding to ask Rhys to marry him had been difficult enough. Asking Rhys to marry him had been gut wrenching. He’d never wanted to go through this ever again. 

What had Rhys done to him? He was currently in a long viewing room over a giant and beautifully manicured garden in the crown of Helios’s western column. The garden below was modeled on the conservatory gardens of old Earth. 

White iron girders held up a spindly but strong construction of intricate glass. Tropical and temperate earth plants grew in harmony arranged around a large circular stone pathway. In the center of that was a dark pond filled with water lilies and koi fish and at the very center of that was a bronze statue from Earth itself of a bashful naked maiden about to dip her toes in. 

On the far end was a small sitting area set above the pathway.

Jack's eyes were drawn to that spot. It may as well have had a gallows built upon it. His eyes flicked down through the room. Blue and green surveyed the large group of people most of whom were milling about his partner. 

He had to confess at least to himself that Rhys looked delicious in his own cream colored tux. Perma shadow Vaughn was close by in a more typical dark suit. Rhys was smiling and small talking, eyes clearly tearing up when talking with some people. 

Jack had no desire to go down and join them, but he had to. He knew he had to. He was down to the wire and there was no running away. He leaned over a table near the window and was grateful for the tint in it as he felt himself nearly coming to tears.

He pinched the ducts in his eyes to prevent any falling. Rhys had only found what was left of Jack by happenstance. But unlike any other useless waste of space that could have found him; Rhys brought him home. And by that gave him the means to come back to life.

And he kept being useful even after Jack was back. Oh Jack had rewarded him; he had rewarded him and then some. First the promotion that Vasquez had yanked out from under Rhys. Then a promotion for Vaughn too. Not long after the position of department head. And not too long after that he made Rhys a board member. With Jack back in power high up positions were opening up left and right after all.

But Jack admitted now he may have gone overboard with a few other rewards. Making Rhys his first lay in a new body was a great idea, he’d never go back on that. 

Giving the kid a few booty calls and office screws wasn’t a bad idea either. He should not have talked to him so much though, not after floating around Rhys’ brain for so long. He should have pulled back given himself some space. He should not have dove head first into the damn kiddie pool and actually dated Rhys. 

But hindsight is 20/20 and here he was. Here he frickin was. The tears were gone but the anger and reluctance was not. He looked down to the party again, and then to his pocket watch. T minus 15 minutes. Rhys was looking to his his watch too down below. He saw his young partner look around and give a small stressed sigh before turning attention back to the guests. 

If he ran now he’d fuck everything up so bad even he wouldn’t be able to glue back together. Rhys would never forgive this. It wasn’t the thought having the surprisingly formidable board member against him that made his gut sink at the thought.

It was knowing that if he did run, he’d never have his precious Rhysie around again. No more soft glances, no more hot blushes, no more office quickies that swallow afternoons, there’d be no more company up in his penthouse every night. 

He’d have nothing but hate from that young man from then on. And what’s worse he’d likely have to watch Rhys settle down with someone else. 

Jack stopped a moment and cocked his head. It was stupid, really stupid. But any other way he tried to sell this to himself it just backfired. But this...kinda worked, almost.

He loved marking Rhys up, leaving hickies and burn marks and bruises, making damn sure the poor little thing walked with a limp the next day. One time he even went so far as to ‘accidentally’ stain up his collar with red wine still on his own lips. 

He wasn’t into wearing lipstick so next best thing. Jack relished making sure people knew Rhys was his and absolutely not available. It really got his rocks off knowing there were more than a few people at Hyperion with major blue balls for the kid and yet they knew if they touched him or so much as stared too long they were dead meat.

Powerful people to, not just lowbies looking to screw their way up, other board members had stiffies and lady wood for Rhys. If Jack weren’t around Rhys may have very well fucked them all too. He couldn’t help but grin at the thought Rhys playing them all like a harp from hell. 

But no matter how much they drooled they could never have a taste. That was all for Jack. His eyes ran up and down Rhys’ long, lithe form. All for him. And he was the only one who could really satisfy that kid.

Jack took in the deepest breath he could manage and slowly let it out. So that’s what today was. Just another mark for Rhys to show off. For him to show off. A little piece of gold and titanium that was basically an expensive and permanent hickie. Jack liked hickies. And he loved getting an expensive and ridiculous version of something innocuous. See favorite pet; Butt Stallion. 

Jack cleared his throat and adjusted his lapels, checking his reflection. Not a hair out of place but he smoothed it anyway. The grey streak was striking as always, the hinges on his mask had been buffed up for an extra shine, he even opted for makeup to make it look just a tad more natural. 

He was Handsome Jack to the max today. He picked at the cream colored kerchief in his breast pocket a bit and glanced down to Rhys in the grand garden.

He knew damn well Rhys couldn’t actually see him but his still met annoyed brown and cyan eyes. Rhys was surreptitiously pointing to his own watch and tapping his foot. Jack smirked. 

“Calm down kiddo, ol’ Jack isn’t leaving you hanging today.”

He made it down with a few minutes to spare and thankfully wasn’t accosted by anything more than the event planner and Vaughn as they lined everybody up. There was just enough time to find Rhys and give him a little squeeze as people started slowly parading into the room to take their places on the pathway.

Jack had insisted the ceremony be as short as possible so there were only seat for those who absolutely needed them. 

Soft string music began to play and Jack still wanted to gag a bit. He rolled his eyes at Rhys who pinched him in response. 

“Stop it. Happy day remember?” Rhys hissed.

Jack gave an exaggerated smile and Rhys huffed.

“You have to nip into a bottle to make it down here huh?” he sighed.

“Nah cupcake just had to get my head sorted out, that’s all.”

The last guests filed in and the wedding party started their journey into the room, tailed by Vaughn and the board member who drew the long straw. Or was it the short one?

Now Rhys and Jack started in, appearing at the top of the entry stairs together but breaking off to walk around opposite sides of the room.

They walked slowly, keeping their gaze firmly locked on each other. Jack felt his heart thud around a little as they reached the opposite rise as equals and stepped up just below the Justice waiting for them. 

The music stopped and Jack felt his nerves start to fray a little. First there was a quick reading before the Justice started her spiel. 

Rhys picked some old poem, sounded like a sonnet of some kind that he seemed to think really fit their relationship. Jack had a hell of a time not scoffing, snorting or laughing through all of it. A crappy, sticky, awful dom/sub fic fit their goddamn relationship, at least in his eyes. 

But once the reading was done the Justice started her thing and Jack felt his nerves slipping again. His was suddenly itchy and fidgety and he couldn’t get away with any nervous tick with people able to see all sides of him.

He saw Rhys’ midnight blue kerchief had started to sag. With thinking much beyond ‘I am so so so glad I talked him out of the blue rose buccaneers’ he reached out and fixed it. Rhys eyes snapped down and he smiled at Jack’s little gesture. When their gazes met again he could clearly see Rhys tearing up.

Again it took a lot of willpower not to do an eye roll. The Justice cleared her throat and Jack looked up like a kid caught daydreaming and she eyed him just like a disapproving teacher. 

“Having given sincere thought to the obligations of marriage, I require you to give truthful answers to these questions-”

Oh glorious vaults, here it came. Jack suddenly felt like a flu was hitting him, breaking out in sweat and yet ice cold.

“Do you Jack take Rhys to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to hold from this day forward, to love, honor, and cherish?  If so, please answer, ‘I do.’”

“I do.”

He didn’t pause, he couldn’t, pausing made for problems later on. He spat it as graciously as he could and and managed to keep cracks out of his voice. This was easier bit though.

“Do you Rhys take Jack to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to hold from this day forward, to love, honor, and cherish?  If so, please answer, ‘I do.’”

Rhys looked to Jack like he was the whole goddamn universe and answered, 

“I do.”

That look buttered Jack up just a bit. 

“Please join in hands to make the commitment required of a marriage.”

Rhys nearly bounded into Jack’s arms, he giggled and stepped back a tad has and Jack clasped hands. Jack was just a wee bit jealous of Rhys’ enthusiasm today. 

The vows were annoying to Jack. Having to repeat not even full sentences, but fragments said by the Justice it was frankly insulting. What was he so much of an idiot he couldn’t memorize a few goddamn lines?

But he played nice, he played along basically said the same thing he’d just said, Rhys parroted it back verbatim, then they made made the same dull promise this time over slipping those expensive metal hickies on to each other’s hands.

At least now this boring affair was nearly over. 

“May you have the strength to keep the vows you have made; may you be loyal and faithful to each other; may you support each other throughout your life together.”

‘Oh,’ Jack thought, ‘Don’t remind me I just stuck myself with this nerd for the rest of my  second  life.’

“May you bear each other’s burdens and share each other’s joys.” A lot of watery eyes were to be seen in the crowd around them. Jack fixed his eyes on Rhys and just made himself concentrate on the one good part.

“And as the years pass may you enjoy each other’s company more and more and grow through each other’s love.”

‘Barf. All the barf. Seriously.’

“And now by virtue of the authority vested in me by the law, I declare to be lawfully wedded husbands. May you live long in good health, may you live happily, giving joy to one another always. You may kiss.”

Here was that one good part. Here was the reason Jack had made it through this. He gave Rhys just enough time to start leaning in for a dainty little peck, then got him into his arms in a swooping motion and grinned before giving Rhys a kiss to make him forget about every single other kiss he’d ever gotten, even from Jack, before now. 

He made out with his newly minted spouse right in front of all those family and friends without a single fuck given. And it didn’t surprise him at all that Rhys kissed back with just as much slutty passion. It did surprise him to hear a lot of people cheering. 

When he let Rhys go his kitten’s eyes were sparkling, and running with tears of joy. Despite this painful day Jack couldn’t help but smile.

So what if the first one didn’t end well huh? They got a pretty bum deal and they frankly weren’t great together anyway. He and Rhys clicked better than anyone else Jack had ever known. He actually wanted to make this marriage work. This one was worth it. 

Jack and Rhys made there out of the garden arm in arm, waiting by the entrance to receive congratulations and enough hugs from strangers (now freakin family) to last Jack another three bodies.

The reception was one floor down in a grand ballroom. Jack was never happier to see a steak in his life, except maybe when he got his new body and a steak was the first meal he had with it. With all that craziness worrying and trying to make himself go through with this he hadn’t really eaten. He tore into his dinner but Rhys took some extra time to make rounds with the guests before digging in, and Jack kept an eye on him.

He was a keeper that one. And keep him Jack sure as hell would. Rhys wouldn’t be taken away like his wife had been. Their doom had tragically been their own child. Even if honestly they were headed to divorce even before...everything happened.

He and Rhys, they would last. After all they couldn’t have kids. There was the biggest danger in Jack’s eyes neutralized already. 

Just out of earshot he heard Rhys talking with one of his grown cousins.

“Oh come on! We only just got married! You think we should even consider that now?”

“Why not?” she answered,”I only waited a year.”

“Hey it took 3 for Jack to even warm up to the idea and pop the question. And that was a year and a half ago. He’s not even ready to think about kids.”

‘Don’t freak out. Common talk at weddings, for fuck’s sake don't lose it in front of Rhys’ family.’ Jack focused very hard on cutting another piece of steak but could not stop himself from overhearing even more.

“But what about you Rhys? What do you want?”

“I’m not sure right now. Maybe in a few years. Our jobs are still crazy and..and…” he glanced to Jack and smiled at his new husband, then leaned over the table and murmured something Jack couldn't pick up. But his relatives all broke out in naughty, knowing beams.

Jack may have never of known, or at least not put it together for a few years if Rhys’ ditzy cousin hadn't have blurted out,

“How long will that chromosome/ovum research take?”


End file.
